Enrollment
2,568
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Rio Rancho, NM
Rio Rancho High
Federal NCES profile for Rio Rancho High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 350001000779
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rio Rancho High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of New Mexico schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Mexico.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Rio Rancho · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 21.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Rio Rancho High has class sizes larger than 85% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Rancho High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Rio Rancho, NM.
School address
District: Rio Rancho Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350001000779 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
147.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.4%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rio Rancho High compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rio Rancho High
Rio Rancho High is a large high school in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, enrolling 2,568 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.5:1 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.4% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the New Mexico average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Mexico, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,568 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and White (27%) (diversity index 56/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 321 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Rio Rancho Public Schools spends $11,377 per pupil, 32% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 658 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 2,568 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Rio Rancho Public Schools also operates Cleveland High School (2,596 students) and Rio Rancho Middle School (1,024 students) alongside Rio Rancho High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Rio Rancho High compares
Rio Rancho High on the metrics families compare, against New Mexico and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Mexico | New Mexico avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▲ 25% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.4% | ▼ 74% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,568 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,568
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% below the New Mexico average of 80.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 85% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,377
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $16,652
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 321 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
351
in-school suspensions + 307 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 59.9%
White 27.1%
Two or More 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
African American 1.8%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 59.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.2, Rio Rancho High is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rio Rancho Public Schools, which includes Rio Rancho High.
$11,377
Per student
-32%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.8%
State 74.5%
Federal 10.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Rio Rancho High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rio Rancho Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ernest Stapleton Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rio Rancho High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,596
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 931
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 798
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Mexico, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,568 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rio Rancho High's federal record.
- Compare Rio Rancho High against another school. Compare schools
- Rio Rancho Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Rio Rancho High
How many students attend Rio Rancho High?
Rio Rancho High has 2,568 students enrolled. It is a high school in Rio Rancho, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rio Rancho High?
The student-teacher ratio at Rio Rancho High is 17.5:1, which is 25% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rio Rancho High?
21.4% of students at Rio Rancho High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rio Rancho High?
The largest demographic group at Rio Rancho High is Hispanic or Latino at 59.9% of enrollment, in Rio Rancho, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rio Rancho High?
Rio Rancho High has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Rio Rancho High rank among high schools in Rio Rancho?
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Rancho High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Rio Rancho, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Rio Rancho on the city page.
Is Rio Rancho High a good school?
Rio Rancho High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of New Mexico schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Mexico. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Rio Rancho Public Schools?
Besides Rio Rancho High, Rio Rancho Public Schools also operates Cleveland High School (2,596 students), Rio Rancho Middle School (1,024 students), and Mountain View Middle (931 students). See the Rio Rancho Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.